New around here.

So, I am beginning this blog. It's a good time to start something new; it's almost September, which has always felt more like the beginning of a new year to me than January. When does one grow out of that school-kid mindset?

It's also the beginning of a new phase at work, which is what made me decide to begin this blog. I work at a national non-profit, which runs an after school program throughout the school year, and a summer camp program in the summer months. We are revving up for our school year program to begin on Tuesday, just next week! I'll be starting a new position as the Learning Center Teacher, which makes me so excited and happy. Walking into my new room and seeing my desk and bulletin board is so strange, since I've always resisted being a teacher. And yet, here I am; I never went to Teacher School, officially, but here I am, running all of my own academic programs, serving hundreds kids every week. And I love it.

I'm most excited about starting up a Girls Group for our 6-8 little girls. I've worked with elementary-aged kids for awhile now, and I've noticed that even the littlest girls are starting to worry about makeup, boys, clothes, hair... So much stuff I didn't even think about till I was at least in middle school. I feel like such an old lady, sometimes, but even being just 23 has given me such a different perspective on girls' relationships to themselves and to the world. I'm looking forward to helping a bunch of little ones go out into the world a little stronger, and a little more sure of themselves, and a little braver! Something I certainly could have stood to learn as a child.

I'm hoping this blog will give me a place to talk about my new work life- hilarious kid things, the challenges of being a not-quite-teacher, the advantages of working for a non-profit. I think I'll probably also just write about my life- living in Portland, DIYing my tiny little apartment, co-existing with a grumpy cat, cooking lots of yummy food. I'll hopefully get some pictures going soon, too. For now, though, I'll end with a Portland sunset, and some sunflowers on my balcony. This is beauty!

Catherine